Early Childhood Education in Turkey

Quality of ECE

Research examining the quality of ECE centers (Bekman, 2002; Kagitçibasi, Sunar, & Bekman, 2001) evaluated preschool centers on various dimensions, such as objectives of curriculum; physical arrangement; number and nature of the available materials, equipment, and activities; and staff/child ratio. Studies have confirmed that the aim of a center (educational vs. custodial) affects all components of preschool education physical arrangement, materials and equipment, program, teacher behavior, staff/child ratio, parent-teacher relationship, and whether or not there is an evaluation of the programs as well as the overall development of the child. It has also been found that the enriching environment in educational centers overcomes expected developmental differences due to social class. A very striking finding was that working-class children in educational centers engage in play behavior that is cognitively more complex and hold higher levels of social participation than that of the middle-class children in centers with a similar aim.

Children in ECE

Studies investigating the effects of preschool education on child development indicate positive outcomes (Gürkan, 1979; Zembat & Tokol, 1996). Children who attend preschool centers have better cognitive, language, and motor development; are better adapted to primary school; display healthy emotional development; are academically better; and have special interests and skills compared with children who do not attend any type of preschool. Preschool attendance has also been found to improve the level of class performance and develop better selfhelp skills (Basal, 2000; Dinçer & Demiriz, 2000).

Physical Conditions in ECE

Studies have highlighted the need to improve the system and its physical environment. Dinçer (2000) [Page 380]conducted a study in 88 preschool centers in Istanbul and used the physical environment rating scale developed by Lovell and Harms (1985). It is reported that one third of the centers were rated low with respect to items of safety, appropriateness of texture, functionality of the play area, and ease of observing children. However, in another study, conducted by Oktay, Zembat, Önder, Güven, and Fathi (1994) to survey and examine the physical arrangement of 25 preschool centers in Ankara, it was observed that the physical arrangements were appropriate in that there were various activity corners in the group rooms and the materials were located at a level that children could reach independently. These two studies also showed that the assessment criteria used and the locations of the preschools can result in different findings.

...